23rd June 2009

James Greenwood writes to The Citizen in support of a Tory councillor's lone voice speaking against his party's policy in the Forest re green waste.

Three cheers for the common sense from Coun Venk Shenoi when he writes

about cutting the carbon (letters 22/06/09). He is absolutely right

that the Forest of Dean District Council is completely misguided

chasing absurd Government targets by collecting garden waste. The

Forest is massively increasing the tonnage of waste collected,

increasing carbon emissions and increasing costs to taxpayers.

 

Coun Shenoi is right to call for community composting and support for

householders to compost at home. His suggestion to follow the example

of West Yorkshire's Kirklees Council's universal free insulation scheme

is also spot on. This award winning initiative was established by Green

Party Councillors there.

 

The other award Kirklees won, another Green party initiative, was for

the RE-Charge scheme which provides solar panels and other renewable

technology for peoples homes with no upfront costs. The cost of

installing renewble energy is recovered through a second charge on the

property following a sale or a transfer in ownership.

 

As Green Party Councillor Andrew Cooper, who collected one of the

Awards said, "In a time of economic depression it is good to see

thriving schemes that protect the environment, create useful worthwhile

jobs and save householders money." Indeed it is. It is time the Forest

of Dean followed these excellent examples.

 

Best wishes, James Greenwood, West Glos Green Party